After telling a few stories, the Elf, Man and Dwarf were silent at their table. Then Bali remembered about Elwen.
"Erulon, we have been discourtious! The fair ladies Elwen and Nostalwen have been waiting for us, and" - Bali was gone. Miss Pioseniel had issued the announcement about the free ale, and the dwarf was never above taking an opportunity to save a few silver coins.
"Bali is right, Burzdol," said Eruantalon. "We ought to go back over to Elwen's table."
"Sounds good to me!" Burzdol was in fact quite eager to meet the two fair maidens which Bali seemed to hold in such high regard.
***************
Bali was on his third drink. Chatting with some inhabitants of the bar, Bali had almost forgotten about the other members of his party (though the ale may have had something to do with that). Finally, he got several other drinks for his friends, put them on a tray, and headed toward Elwen's table. A little hobbit girl was running across the room, and her angry mother was yelling "Lizabell, come here this very minute!" Some children just have no respect for their parents, thought Bali. Without a doubt that girl will get herself hurt running loose in this inn.
Sadly (he was deep in thought), Bali had not noticed the that the elf (which had caused him to leave the ladies' table in the first place) had moved and was sitting in the direction he was moving. As he passed by the table, the elf (grinning to his friends) ever-so-slyly slipped his foot out in front of the dwarves small legs.
A bizzare series of events ensued. Bali tripped over the elve's leg. The platter with the four drinks went flying. Bali's drink, which he was holding in his other hand, emptied into the elve's face. Bali Twisted his falling body around, and he ending up sitting on (and crushing under his emmense weight) the elve's extended leg.
But worst of all, the the platter had found there way to the little hobbit girl racing through the inn, and she was not only thoroughly doused in the drinks, but also knocked down by the platter. To Bali, it was all his most terrifying nightmares come true at once. Every eye in the inn was staring at the girl, and then found their way to him.
As he rushed over to help the girl up, she leaped up off the floor and dashed away from the dwarf, hurrying back to her mother, and screaming. "Mommy Mommy!! A big mean dwarf threw stuff at me and knocked me down, and then - - - WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!"
Bali cleaned up the mess and tried to explain what happened to the infuriated mother, but nothing he said to her would stop her from stomping out of the inn, carrying her wailing child. The elf would have been laughing at him, but he was having his leg attended to.
Getting some fresh drinks, he hurried over to Elwen's table, where Eruantalon and Burzdol were sitting. What a horrible evening this has been!
[ February 09, 2003: Message edited by: Himaran ]
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